The TRN’s Preseason Top 10 poll is put together by Zach Duncan and indicative on a team’s performance relative to its classification.

1. Graham – The Steers have everything you want in a contender. A returning starting quarterback (Tucker Horn), proven receivers and offensive linemen plus seven of their top eight tacklers back.

2. Windthorst – The Trojans were the area’s hottest team down the stretch last season and should be the area’s stoutest 2A squad this fall.

3. Tipton – The Tigers lost to defending Class B state champion Laverne last week 44-36. They also dropped the opener last year before winning 13 straight and claiming the Class C title.

4. Hirschi – The Huskies are highly touted after last year’s six-win improvement and for good reason. Can they win a playoff game for the first time since 1999?

5. Bryson – Graduation hit many top six-man programs hard, but not the Cowboys, who bring back most of their starters off an eight-win squad. Brayden Houser and Paul Davidson are difference-makers.

6. Holliday – This could be Frank Johnson’s best Eagles’ squad yet. Expect Holliday’s calling card again to be on defense, where it allowed only 15.4 points per game in 2016.

7. Henrietta – How the Bearcats’ skill position guys grow up around quarterback Zack West will determine their fate. Henrietta’s front seven should be stout.

8. Nocona – The Indians will join the aforementioned Eagles and Bearcats in a compelling 5-3A Division II race, but they won’t be tested much in non-district and face both on the road.

9. Seymour – There’s no longer a Barton at quarterback, but expect to see David Watson slash through holes one more time. The Panthers have won 17 games the past two years.

10. Iowa Park – Billy Pearson takes over for Bowie Franks at tailback. Even if the Hawks aren’t as explosive as last year, they should be better defensively.

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Henrietta quarterback Zack West (24) gets to face Holliday's stout defense in one of 2017's marque area matchups.(Photo: Torin Halsey/Times Record News)

Must-see games

Henrietta at Windthorst (Sept. 1) – Both these schools won district titles and went three rounds deep in the playoffs last year. They also return experienced quarterbacks.

Graham at Hirschi (Sept. 14) – The Steers have won the past eight meetings between the squads and none have been all that close. Expect a down-to-the-wire finish on a Thursday at Memorial.

Bowie at Holliday (Sept. 22) – The Eagles’ toughest test to date features a couple playmakers who weren’t able to perform on Friday nights last year in Jeffery Howard and Justin Jones.

Rider at WFHS (Oct. 6) – While the Raiders won this rivalry matchup by 34 points last year, it’s usually a closer game than expected. Also expect Memorial Stadium to be packed.

Nocona at Holliday (Oct. 13) – The Indians should enter this matchup at 5-0, but how good are they? We’ll find out after this 5-3A Division II opener.

Hirschi at Decatur (Oct. 20) – These two explosive teams could be Argyle’s biggest threats to repeating in 4-4A Division I. Playoff seeding will be important with a difficult neighboring district awaiting in the playoffs.

Denton at Rider (Oct. 26) – The Raiders lost by 18 last year, but the previous three contests were high-scoring affairs that were determined by 15 combined points.

Henrietta at Holliday (Oct. 27) – Frank Johnson has yet to beat the Bearcats in four tries. It’ll be hard to turn down watching Zack West facing a swarming Eagles’ defense.

Graham at Iowa Park (Nov. 10) – It’ll be difficult to replicate last year’s overtime thriller, but with 3-4A Division II champ Krum losing much to graduation, the stakes could be higher this time for the Steers and Hawks.

Windthorst at Seymour (Nov. 10) – It’s likely this turns into a rematch for the 5-2A Division I title. Expect a closer contest that last year when the Trojans pulled away in a rout.

* With Notre Dame making the TAPPS Division III title game last season, the area increased its streak to eight straight years with a championship game representative. The 2008 season was the only time in 12 years that it hasn’t happened.

* The area’s last 11-man team to finish the regular season undefeated was Graham in 2013. The area program with the most undefeated regular seasons is Wichita Falls High School with 13. Munday and Bowie are next with nine each, although all but one of the Jackrabbits’ seasons came before 1958.

* Thirteen different ballcarriers surpassed the 1,000-yard mark last season, but only three of them are back in 2017. Henrietta’s Zack West led the returners with 1,447 yards, while Seymour’s David Watson and Windthorst’s Koy Pennartz also broke the century mark.

* Now that Throckmorton’s streak of 12 playoff appearances has come to an end, Notre Dame owns the longest in the area at 11 followed by Graham and Crowell with right each. Rider, Windthorst, Quanah and Newcastle enter 2017 with seven in a row.

* Burkburnett will enter with Westin Priddy as the starting quarterback and Marcus Jackson in the rotation Friday against Iowa Park. Area schools that recently chose their starters are Vernon (senior Brysan Garrard), Seymour (junior Cade Holden) and Quanah (junior Clayton Laughery).